Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Rugby World

I KNEW the World Cup had left an indelible mark when my eight-year-old son gave me an impromptu haka. It was that type of tournament, with the power of rugby transcending its usual environs. From the first weekend, when Japan pulled off the biggest shock in RWC history by beating the Springboks, to Dan Carter bisecting the Twickenham uprights with a sublime drop-goal late on in the final, rugby fans and converts were utterly spoiled. The serious gains made by Tier Two nations made it the most competitive tournament ever and England’s fans partied on after their team’s exit, making it the best-attended World Cup. Infused with nearly half-a-million fans from abroad, it was a happy, noisy, cultural melting pot, as the party atmosphere rebounded like a pinball from the…

SOUTH AFRICA 24 ARGENTINA 13 Friday 30 October, 8pm Olympic Stadium Att: 55,925 IN THIS MATCH Victor Matfield led South Africa to a third-place finish in his final Test, retiring as the sixth-most capped player in history (127 caps). JP Pietersen gave the Boks an early lead they never relinquished and, despite Juan Pablo Orlandi’s late try, the Pumas got little reward for their attacking endeavour. In a couple of subplots, Nicolás Sánchez won the Golden Boot, his eight points making him top scorer at RWC 2015 with 97; while, despite several chances, Bryan Habana couldn’t score the try that would have taken him clear of Jonah Lomu as outright top try-scorer in RWC history. TURNING POINT South Africa’s decision to kick for goal in the 13th minute showed they…

TONGA 10 GEORGIA 17 Saturday 19 September, noon Kingsholm Att: 14,200 IN THIS MATCH Georgia scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze made history by becoming the youngest RWC player of all time at 18 years and 340 days as his side held on for a famous win. TURNING POINT No 8 Viliami Ma’afu’s disallowed try on half-time for a forward pass – the most marginal of calls. Georgia got the rub and Giorgi Tkhilaishvili crashed over in the 56th minute to extend their 10-3 lead. WINNERS’ PODIUM Captain Mamuka Gorgodze: “This is one of the greatest days in the history of Georgia rugby. We are a very small team. We’ve never had a win like this.” AND THE LOSERS… Captain Nili Latu: “The TMO is there and I think we could have more…

PUDSEY POSES with Gavin Henson during his visit to Bristol to promote this month’s BBC Children in Need appeal – but what might the pair be saying to each other? Write a caption of no more than 20 words, mark it ‘December Caption Comp’ and email it to rugbyworld competitions@timeinc.com. Or write to the editorial address on P42. Please include your name and address. The closing date is Tuesday 15 December. The winner will receive a giftcard with £100 credit to spend at rfudirect.com LAST MONTH’S WINNER Jon Windust, from Havant in Hampshire, gets the prize for his The Great British Bake Off-themed caption for this pic of England’s George Kruis and David Wilson. “Come on David, I was Mary Berry last time. It’s my turn to be Paul Hollywood”…

FRI 6 NOV Aviva Premiership Harlequins v Sale (7.45pm) TV Live on BT Sport Guinness Pro12 Connacht v Treviso (7.30) Leinster v Scarlets (7.35) TV Live on BBC Wales/TG4 GK IPA Championship Bristol v Doncaster Moseley v Cornish Pirates WEEKEND 7-8 NOV Asia Sevens Olympic Qualifier (Hong Kong) SAT 7 NOV International Friendly France v England Women (4.45pm, Martigues) Aviva Premiership London Irish v Bath (3pm) Worcester v Newcastle (3) N’ampton v Saracens (3.15) TV Live on BT Sport Exeter v Leicester (5.30) TV Live on BT Sport Guinness Pro12 Ospreys v Zebre (2.30pm) Cardiff Blues v Glasgow (3) TV Live on Sky Sports Edinburgh v Munster (5.15) TV Live on BBC Alba/Sky Top 14 Brive v Bordeaux-Bègles La Rochelle v Oyonnax Pau v Agen Toulon v Montpellier Toulouse v…

IAIN’S STANDOUT STATISTIC 21 METRES The average ground he made per match during the RWC – more than any other lock bar Fiji’s Leone Nakarawa FACT FILE Age 23 (21 Feb 1992) Born Craigavon Province Ulster Height 6ft 6in Weight 19st Ireland caps 23 Test points Ten (2T) Twitter @HendersonIain THE FACT Iain Henderson has a penchant for napping is well known since his room-mate Paddy Jackson posted a video of the lock sleeping during the World Cup. There was nothing dozy about his performances during the tournament, however. Try-scorer against Canada, Man of the Match against Italy and able deputy for Paul O’Connell against France, Henderson was Ireland’s standout player at RWC 2015. He’s been involved in the squad for three years now; his ball-carrying and tackling were always…

GARETH’S STANDOUT PLAYERS WALES “Taulupe Faletau’s work at the base, defensive game and ball-carrying were superb.” REST OF THE WORLD “Julian Savea was unplayable at times. His second try against France was awesome.” THE FACTS Age 25 (18 Aug 1990) Born Carmarthen Region Scarlets Height 5ft 10in Weight 13st 12lb Wales caps Nine Wales points 25 (5T) Twitter @Gar_Davies9 JUST 13 days before the opening ceremony, Gareth Davies’s World Cup fortunes changed irrevocably with a serious injury to Wales’ first-choice No 9 Rhys Webb. For the Scarlet, who had waited patiently as Webb blazed a trail across Europe, the cruel twist of fate gave him the chance to prove his worth on the world stage – and he took it with both mitts. Davies played all bar ten minutes of…

QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Werner Kok Age 22 (17.1.93) Birthplace Nelspruit Sevens debut London 2013 Titles Port Elizabeth 2013 & 2014, Dubai 2014, Las Vegas 2014 RETURNING TO Dubai means South Africa’s Werner Kok starts this new HSBC Sevens World Series in the happiest possible way. Last year the Blitzbokke triumphed there and Kok was named in the Dream Team from that famous Emirates event. “Each and every tournament is unique,” Kok tells Rugby World, “but Dubai is special. I think it’s because it’s a neutral pitch. The fans there don’t shout for a specific team – they cheer for big tackles, great passes and good runs regardless of which team is making them. It’s just great to see that neutrality from them.” So it’s a top place to kick off…

CLUB FOCUS HOVE RELEGATION last spring to Two South-East seems a distant memory for Hove, with the £180,000 resurfacing of their council-owned pitches underway and a boom from RWC 2015. Club safeguarding officer Neil Parker said: “We have more than 400 junior players in 30 teams and expect that number to increase after the global tournament. Our club is also the social hub of the area.” Hove, who have launched a Return to Rugby programme to cater for new and lapsed players, run three senior sides, a women’s XV, two colts teams and an U17 side. Ex-England players Alex King and Jordan Turner-Hall are among their youth products, while Geraldine Brown is the only female chairperson in the county. New captain Sam Whiting plays at full-back or fly-half while Alex…

IN HEAVY traffic, with momentum stalling, you need a big ball-carrier to get things moving again. That’s where powerful players like Sean O’Brien come in – the players who are adept at getting low, pumping their legs and steaming forward as defenders struggle to ground them. You could be that dynamic momentum creator for your side, but to do so you need to be well balanced, with a strong core. You need to be able to generate leg power under great fatigue and with a heavy load. You need pace under duress. So to the left, Mat Grove, from Performance Pro gym in London, outlines exercises to help propel punchy carries forward and below is a challenge to work on over time. THE RUGBY WORLD FITNESS CHALLENGE Lying start sprint…

SURPRISING FACT I passed grade eight at the piano. I don’t play now, which my mum says is a shame BEST RUGBY MOMENT Beating the Ospreys last winter – we gave them a real hammering. My first Wales cap was good too, with all my family there BIZARRE RUGBY MOMENT Playing Clermont, people said what a beast Jamie Cudmore was, so I flew into him at a ruck. He snapped my finger back, dislocating it. He probably doesn’t know he did it. There are no hard feelings QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Matthew Robert Evans Nickname Revs Age 23 (14 April 1992) Twitter @revsprop1 Personality A legend! Superstitions I have three Jelly Babies of the same colour before a game TV show Home and Away Best holiday Hvar, Croatia Last book read…

TOUGHEST OPPONENT Francis Saili, who is with Munster now. We went to school together and he’s a strong ball-carrier RUGBY FUNNY We played a trick at school with the locks in the lineout. We’d tell them to jump and then pull their pants down. A funny gag BEST RUGBY MOMENT Last year I won the Gallaher Shield with my club, University, in Auckland. That’s a big deal at home QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Nepia Fox-Matamua Nickname Neps or Foxy Age 24 (5 September 1991) Born Auckland Personality Easy-going TV show Peaky Blinders Last book read I read Ali Williams’s book, Ali’s Book of Tall Tales. It’s funny Favourite holiday Just got back from La Spezia in Italy and the Cinque Terre fishing villages, and it was beautiful Dish you most like…

ENGLAND 35 FIJI 11 Friday 18 September, 8pm Twickenham Att: 80,015 IN THIS MATCH England toiled in the tournament opener but sneaked a bonus point with Billy Vunipola’s last-gasp try. Their early penalty try was the second time the opening try of a World Cup was a penalty, after 1987. TURNING POINT Fiji missed touch with a penalty in the 65th minute and Mike Brown’s run from deep resulted in the England penalty that gave them breathing space, at 21-11. WINNERS’ PODIUM Double try-scorer Mike Brown: “I wanted to get my hands on the ball the whole game. It was an emotional time for me, a dream come true. I’ll always savour that.” AND THE LOSERS… Akapusi Qera: “We came out fighting at the start and competed with them in…

IRELAND 50 CANADA 7 Saturday 19 September, 2.30pm Millennium Stadium Att: 68,523 IN THIS MATCH Paul O’Connell became only the second Irishman to play in four World Cups, after Brian O’Driscoll, in a comfortable win. TURNING POINT It was 3-0 when Jamie Cudmore was sent to the bin after 17 minutes and 22-0 when he returned, Ireland running in three tries. WINNERS’ PODIUM Jamie Heaslip: “It was a hard game with a lot of pace, and it was very physical.” AND THE LOSERS… Coach Kieran Crowley: “We conceded 19 points when a man down and when they were down to 14 we failed to score. We’ve got to take our chances in the red zone.” TEAM LINE-UPS IRELAND R Kearney (S Zebo 74); D Kearney J Payne, L Fitzgerald, K…

As the recriminations began after England’s exit, we considered how best to put our sadness to one side and still enjoy the World Cup. The loss to Australia didn’t deter us from attending the next day’s Ireland-Italy game at the Olympic Stadium. The Fisher family, father, son and grandson alongside father-in-law, wore England shirts, with the flag of St George as capes, Roman helmets and a sign ‘SPQR, the Lost Legion of Britannicus’. Our small legion had a fabulous day interacting with a multitude of international fans, the banter was sharp and funny, and we were stopped and photographed so many times we discussed a charging system! The amount of people who shook our hands was amazing: Australians commiserated with us, Welshmen suggested changes, Irishmen enjoyed our pain but offered…

THE FACTS MATT EVANS Age 27 (2 Jan 1988) Born Salisbury, England Club Cornish Pirates Position Full-back/wing Height 6ft Weight 14st 9lb Canada caps 32 (8T) Twitter @MattEvans_88 What are your bugbears? I hate it when people don’t help with carrying team kit and walk right past it. Gordon McRorie is bad for that. What is your guilty pleasure? I’m a big dessert man. I’m the first up for seconds and I’m always on hand if a team-mate doesn’t fancy theirs. Who is your funniest team-mate? Jebb Sinclair probably thinks he’s the funniest. I would say our prop Doug Wooldridge is a funny guy though. It’s all about understanding his take on the world. It’s not that realistic, I’d say. Any practical jokes you can share with us? The front-row…

BOUT THREE years ago, England 2015 were looking for tenders for team training bases. We decided it would be a great thing to do and we knew our facilities were something special. I think there were about 500-600 applications, which were narrowed down to 120 to be sent to the teams to see if they were interested. We got a visit from South Africa in late 2013, and in April 2014 Steve Hansen and the New Zealand management came. Then it was a waiting game to see if anybody had chosen us. In May last year I got a phone call from England 2015 to say the All Blacks were coming. I was pretty speechless! I wasn’t allowed to say anything until it was all announced a few months later.…

THE ONGOING and emotive analysis of that decision by Craig Joubert in the Australia-Scotland quarter-final cast a dark shadow over a wonderful World Cup. The public execution of Joubert by World Rugby, where they confirmed he was wrong to award a late penalty to Australia, merely served to undermine a core tenet of the game – that the referee is the sole judge of fact. They did acknowledge there was nothing he could have done after his initial call – which makes you wonder what they gained by going public. He made a decision in real time, in a split-second, from one angle of view. Show me a referee who has never made a mistake. It happens and we usually move on. The problem with this decision is that within…

MARIO’S STANDOUT PLAYERS AUSTRALIA “Matt Giteau adds so much to the team it’s hard to describe. He’s brought a winning mentality.” REST OF THE WORLD “Like Matt, Schalk Burger is a great asset to the Boks – what a player!” FACT FILE Age 42 (17 May 1973) Born Buenos Aires Role Forwards coach Clubs coached Stade F, Montpellier, Waratahs Argentina caps 84 Argentina points 15 (3T) Twitter @mledesmasports THE SCRUM is a physical, tactical and mental challenge,” says Mario Ledesma. “If you win the scrum battle, you are imposing yourself on the opposition.” Australia have struggled to do that for a decade, their scrum seen as the weakest part of their game, but since former Argentina hooker Ledesma joined Michael Cheika’s coaching staff earlier this year, the Wallabies pack has…

AGUSTÍN’S STANDOUT PLAYERS URUGUAY “Rodrigo Silva hasn’t played wing too much, but he’s done it at this level and been incredible for us. He’s young and studies agriculture.” REST OF THE WORLD “I really enjoy watching Japan play and their No 15, Ayumu Goromaru, is outstanding.” FACT FILE Age 24 (8 March 1991) Born Montevideo Club Stade Montois Height 5ft 11in Weight 13st 12lb Uruguay caps 27 Test points 117 (5T, 16C, 20P) AGUSTÍN ORMAECHEA joined a few exclusive clubs during the World Cup. First, he became one of half-a-dozen players at the tournament to follow in their father’s footsteps by playing in a Rugby World Cup. Then, when scoring against Fiji in Milton Keynes, he and dad Diego joined the Nalagas – Kavekini (1987) and Napolioni (2011) – as…

Team of the Month Stavanger BRINGING THE thunder’ is an expression you can easily imagine Wallaby Nick Cummins using, but it’s actually the motto of his brother Nathan’s club – Stavanger in Norway. Nathan moved there three years ago with his Norwegian fiancée and is one of a number of expats who have helped Stavanger win back-to-back Norwegian Premiership titles. In fact, they haven’t lost a domestic sevens or 15-a-side game in two years. Fly-half Cummins is also head coach and, alongside captain Adam Jones, he encourages a fast-paced game that suits their lighter pack. The strong expat community is down to Stavanger being the oil and gas capital of Europe. Wing Alex Smith says: “Many expat players don’t have family in Norway, so the club becomes their family.” It’s…

FAVOURITE BOOK I can’t remember the last book I read cover to cover, but I like a good autobiography. Lawrence Dallaglio’s was a good one RUGBY HIGHLIGHT My favourite part of any game was Emily Scarratt brushing off half the Canadian team to score a try in the World Cup final FAVOURITE MALE PLAYER As a hooker, Schalk Brits has always been a player I’d love to play like. He’s got pace, skill and flair QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Victoria Fleetwood Age 25 (13 April 1990) Nickname Fleeto Twitter @vickyfleetwood Personality Smiley, girly and quite shy! England debut 2011 Nations Cup in Canada Day job England Sevens player and personal trainer TV show Dinner Date Best thing about being pro Doing what you love every day and still having time to…

CLUB FOCUS HULL IONIANS Winning promotion twice to National One – the second time last season – is the major achievement in the history of Hull Ionians, and this time they intend to stay. Formed in 1989 from the merger of Hull & East Riding with Ionians, they settled into the top five with a 38-35 win at Fylde featuring a hat-trick from Will Foden. Spokesman Malcolm Knowles said: “We hope to finish in mid-table and achieve it in a way that doesn’t burden the club financially.” Alex Crockett, who played for Bath, Bristol, Newcastle and England Saxons, heads an experienced coaching team with Danny Paul, a newcomer from Yorkshire Carnegie, as his assistant. Lock Joe Makin, 24, is in his fifth year as captain, while recruits include former Sandal…

CLUB FOCUS READING Having illuminated many a pitch around the world during his sparkling playing career, it was appropriate that former Bath, England and Lions centre Jeremy Guscott paid Reading a visit to switch on the One West club’s new floodlights. Funded by private donations from members and a £30,000 grant from the RFU’s Lead Up & Legacy scheme, the new lights are housed on six 15m-high columns around the club’s second pitch. Three of them also contain additional Philips OptiVision lights for the training area on Reading’s third pitch. Club chairman Andy Clark, who has known Guscott for more than 30 years, invited him to perform the ceremony. Clark recalled: “We went to the same school in Bath, although I was a lot older than him. It was a…

1 Grounded Keep hands low to start with – put them above your head and you’ll never get off the ground 2 Knees bent The best way to start is with knees slightly bent and one foot forward 3 Quick step Step into the jump to gain momentum and use your arms to gain height 4 Take off Get it right and you’ll be head and shoulders above your opposite man EVEN WHEN senior players are lifted in the lineout, they still have to initiate the leap, so it’s good for young minis to learn to jump properly – and get a jump on their opponents. Too many youngsters stand with their hands above their heads as they wait for the ball to be thrown in, but the biomechanics are…

JOHNNY’S ONE-WORD ANSWERS Scrum DominateWorld Cup ExperienceNamibia PrideFamily LoveRoom-mate Best friendDesert BeautifulJacques BurgerInspirational HE’S THE only player to win 50 caps for Namibia and marked the end of his Test career by trying to convert his country’s last try in their final RWC 2015 game against Argentina. He missed! Here Johnny Redelinghuys talks about juggling sport and work, how Namibian rugby has changed and what comes next for the construction firm boss… I was a chubby kid. I couldn’t run as fast as everyone else, but when I first packed down in a scrum I thought, ‘This I can do’! Rugby is the traditional game for Afrikaans-speaking kids in Namibia and I instantly loved it. By the time I was 18 I’d represented my country for three years at U18…

NEW ZEALAND 34 AUSTRALIA 17 Saturday 31 October, 4pm Twickenham Att: 80,125 IN THIS MATCH With a record 14th consecutive RWC win, the All Blacks became the first team to retain the World Cup and the first to lift it three times. A super match saw the most tries (five) and points (51) in a final and brought New Zealand’s first crown on foreign soil. Richie McCaw, the first man to lead a side to two titles, equalled Jason Leonard’s record of 22 RWC appearances while Dan Carter’s 19 points are a record for an All Black in a World Cup final. Tries by Nehe Milner-Skudder and Ma’a Nonu helped the All Blacks to a 21-3 lead on 42 minutes, Australia hit back with 14 points while Ben Smith was…

SOUTH AFRICA 23 WALES 19 Saturday 17 October, 4pm Twickenham Att: 79,572 IN THIS MATCH The first of a stunning set of quarter-finals saw Dan Biggar kick 14 points and create a try for Gareth Davies, who equalled David Kirk’s RWC record of five for a scrum-half. But the Boks pipped Wales in a breathless clash, the ball being in play for a staggering 45 minutes. Under Warren Gatland, Wales have now lost 28 out of 30 Tests against the big three southern sides, 14 of them by a score. Schalk Burger set a Springbok record for RWC appearances with 18 while Alun Wyn Jones played his 100th Test. TURNING POINT The Boks trailed for all but three minutes from half-time to the 74th minute. Then Duane Vermeulen broke blind…

SOUTH AFRICA 32 JAPAN 34 Saturday 19 September, 4.45pm Brighton Community Stadium Att: 29,290 IN THIS MATCH Sensational! Japan produced one of the great sporting upsets after a last-play try that sent the Brighton crowd wild, In their their first meeting with South Africa, they fielded their most-capped side ever (603 caps) and became the only nation to have a 100% winning record against the Boks! TURNING POINT Japan captain Michael Leitch’s decision to go for a win from a late penalty rather than choosing a kick to draw. He opted for a 5m lineout and then, from a penalty, a scrum from which Japan worked the phases to put Karne Hesketh in for the winning try. WINNERS’ PODIUM Try-scorer Karne Hesketh: “I remember crossing the line and thinking, ‘We’ve…

OUR TEAM could easily have been crammed with All Blacks but we’ve settled on five, leaving room for such stars as DTH van der Merwe (five turnovers to go with his average of one try and 97 metres a game), Richie Gray (55 tackles, 19 lineouts and seven restart takes) and Michael Leitch (whose carries average of 15 exceeded even Schalk Burger). Sonny Bill Williams was mainly used off the bench but his offloading impact demanded inclusion, while Dane Coles beats Agustín Creevy to the hooker spot by virtue of a 97% throw success in the lineout (60 out of 62) and four turnovers. Dan Carter, magnificent in the knockout stage when he dropped two vital goals, edges Nicolás Sánchez at No 10. Scott Sio (40 tackles) was intrinsic to…

I HAVE a similar feeling to 2011. But up until the week of this final, we just had the focus of really putting everything out there on the pitch. Especially in terms of what happens afterwards, with players leaving – we didn’t want that to get in the way. Our main motivation was to play for each other. Winning has its personal meaning and I just want to thank my family for being the cornerstone of my career. Big ups to the boys, the likes of Richie McCaw and Dan Carter and especially my midfield partner Conrad Smith. Conrad and I have played a lot together (the final was their 62nd Test start together, a world record) and we may not play together again, though we may see each other…

@ICallachan This was the first World Cup I’ve followed since I started coaching. Really enjoyed it and so have my boys Calum F Hogan David Pocock 17 turnovers... surely player of the tournament Pauline Webb Julian Savea’s try Ima.katch I’m Aussie Canadian in Scotland. Such a bittersweet win/lose/happiness when Wallabies slid past Scotland @b3njay23 Highlights: Scottish interceptions and Japanese wizardry @eejpullen I was a volunteer and met fantastic people @Rob_Anderson_UK Better 4 England going out – removed tension & allowed me 2 enjoy @buntygrunt Japan & Fiji were A* Ian Thomas Gotta be Irish fans. Unbelievable support, atmosphere Kellyann Fletcher-Mathews All Blacks v SA was supreme @sarriefan_uk Prices for top matches, esp England, way too high, and food & drink at venues. Blatant rip-off. Otherwise fun Erinmcr99 Watching Fitzpatrick and…

MAT PROTHEROE GLOUCESTER AGE 19 COUNTRY ENGLAND POSITION FLY-HALF When did you first play rugby? When I was eight. My best mate at school asked me along for one session at Waunarlwydd rugby club (near Swansea) and I never stopped going after that. I loved it. Later I played for Gowerton Comprehensive and my district side, as well as the club. Have you played in different positions? I was No 10 until I went to Hartpury then, as it was a step up, I had a look at playing full-back and getting a different perspective. I still prefer to have that No 10 on my back. How did you end up at Hartpury? At 16 I didn’t get selected for the Ospreys and two days after the trials Alan Martinovic,…

SARCELLES WAS in the headlines a fair bit in the summer of 2014. In June Midi Olympique published an article about Rabah Slimani, the prop who had just made his first Test start on France’s tour to Australia. It charted his “atypique” path to the national squad, beginning with his joining the Sarcelles club in the north of Paris. The following month Sarcelles was back in the news, this time on the front pages of the world’s press. A pro-Palestinian riot had turned violent and a mob had ransacked a number of Jewish shops and attacked a synagogue. “What happened in Sarcelles is intolerable… is quite simply anti-Semitism, racism,” said France’s Prime Minister Manuel Valls. It wasn’t the first time that Sarcelles’ Jewish community had been targeted; in 2012 a…

VASIL’S STANDOUT PLAYER REST OF THE WORLD “The Argentina wing Santiago Cordero. We didn’t know much about him and he performed very well.” FACT FILE Age 19 (14 Oct 1996) Born Tbilisi Club Armazi Position Scrum-half Georgia caps Ten Debut v Germany, 2015 WHAT A year it’s been for Vasil Lobzhanidze. The scrum-half made his Test debut for Georgia in February and helped them to five European Nations Cup wins. In May he was a leading figure as his country won the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Lisbon to qualify for next year’s Junior World Cup. Then he became the youngest player to play in a World Cup, taking the field against Tonga in September – by now as Georgia’s first-choice No 9 – aged 18 years 340 days. By…

CHILDHOOD RUGBY HERO Ellery Hanley. He was the best player I ever saw. He had a fantastic skill-set and he always delivered CAREER HIGHLIGHT Winning the treble this year. It was a great way to finish. Fantastic. There was just relief at the end of the Grand Final RUGBY FUNNY Rob Burrow put a load of the little paper circles you get from a hole punch in the air vents in Kylie Leuluai’s car. When he turned the blowers on they blew everywhere. He’s still finding them now QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Kevin Sinfield Nickname Kev or Sinny Age 35 (12 Sept 1980) Born Oldham, Lancs Position Fly-half Married? Wife Jayne. Sons Jack (11) and Sam (seven) Rugby league honours 14 GB caps, 26 England caps Personality Laid-back, honest. I can…

CLUB FOCUS BERKSWELL & BALSALL Progress has been swift for Berkswell & Balsall, who were founded in 1981. They played on a school pitch, bought their own ground seven years later and then built their own clubhouse, which was opened in 2000. On-field development matched that off it. From the humble league beginnings of a tenth-place finish in Warwickshire Two back in 1988, they spent the past three campaigns in One West. B&B were relegated last season, a minor blemish on a picture of good health. Half of the senior squad emerged through the mini-juniors, prop Nick Waite is in his third season as captain, head coach Adie Fahy has been with the club for 30 years and wife Lesley has been involved since 1982. She said: “I know what…

CLUB FOCUS OSSETT The Drury family takes some beating when it comes to their input at Ossett, a Yorkshire Four club. Fly-half Jack captains the senior side, his dad Sam plays in the front row for the first and second teams, having appeared in more than 700 games, and mum Angela, a committee member, organises social events. Secretary Kevin Davey said: “Ossett is a true community club and the only one to have played in the final of all three Yorkshire knockout competitions – the Cup, Shield and Silver Trophy. We take great pride in our history and values, and we’ve a cross-section of players ranging from students to business owners. “By December we’ll have completed work on a floodlit grass training pitch, funded 50-50 by ourselves and the RFU.…

THE FORMER Ireland flanker takes us on a roller-coaster ride through his career, from the joy of a Grand Slam to the shock of losing two team-mates to sudden and premature deaths. The ankle injury that ended Ferris’s career bookends this autobiography, and his descriptions of the physical pain and mental anguish he endured during his two-year battle for fitness are compelling. “As soon as I know 100% I’m going to retire, I feel an overwhelming sense of relief,” he says. That torment is put into perspective by the death during a game of Ireland U19 team-mate John McCall, which changed Ferris’s attitude to rugby, and by the passing of Ulster’s Nevin Spence in a farming accident. Both tragedies are dealt with movingly. There are lots of lighter moments, as…

TOUGHEST OPPONENT Sam Warburton, who I faced in age-group rugby and have remembered since then. I couldn’t believe how good he was FAVOURITE RUGBY FUNNY A group of players went out for dinner. They asked how I’d like my steak cooked and I said “medium please”, then they asked Otulea Katoa and he said “large”! SURPRISING FACT One of my cousins is Swiss (Pepa Manu), who’s a really famous singer in New Zealand QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Full Name Tavake Liukanasi Manu Nickname Nacho Age 27 (15 August 1988) Born Lincoln, New Zealand Twitter @Nasi_Manu Personality Easy-going Superstitions I put a cross on my arm and write initials that are personal to me Favourite TV show Friends Last book read The Bible Best holiday Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands Dish to cook…